Corrosion-resistant tantalum coatings for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates

Leszek Gladczuk, Chirag Joshi, Anamika Patel, Jim Gurheen, Zafar Iqbal, Marek Sosnowski

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tantalum is a tough, corrosion resistant metal, which would be suitable for use as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, if it was not for its high weight and price. Relatively thin tantalum coatings, however, can be deposited on other inexpensive and lighter weight metals, such as aluminum and steel, providing a passive protection layer on these easily formed substrates. We have successfully deposited, high quality α (body-centered-cubic, bcc) and β (tetragonal) phase tantalum coatings that were a few micrometers thick by dc magnetron sputtering on steel and aluminum. The growth of the thermodynamically preferred body-centered-cubic (bcc) tantalum phase was induced by a choice of deposition conditions and substrate surface treatment. The microstructure and corrosion resistance of the α-phase in an environment approximately simulating the electrochemical conditions used in a PEM fuel cell were investigated under potentiodynamic conditions. Preliminary potentiostatic measurements of a β-phase sample are also presented.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)423-428
Number of pages6
JournalMaterials Research Society Symposium - Proceedings
Volume756
StatePublished - 2003
EventSolid State Ionics 2002 - Boston MA, United States
Duration: Dec 2 2002Dec 5 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

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